AuditLabHQ

Consent Guide

Google Consent Mode v2 explained

Consent Mode communicates a user’s consent state to Google tags. It changes tag behavior; it does not collect consent or replace your CMP.

The four signals to understand

Core storage signals

  • analytics_storage controls analytics-related storage.
  • ad_storage controls advertising-related storage.

Consent Mode v2 additions

  • ad_user_data covers sending user data for advertising.
  • ad_personalization covers personalized advertising use.

Basic versus advanced implementation

In a basic implementation, Google tags stay blocked until consent is granted. In an advanced implementation, tags can load with denied defaults and send cookieless signals. The right choice depends on your policy, legal basis and measurement design.

Consent Mode is a technical behavior layer. Your legal team must decide which implementation and defaults are appropriate.

Minimum technical sequence

  1. Set consent defaults before Google configuration or event commands.
  2. Use denied defaults where your policy requires them.
  3. Update the state only after the CMP records the user’s choice.
  4. Retest accept, reject and revisit flows after every tag or CMP change.

Check the public implementation

The AuditLabHQ scan looks for CMP traces, Google tags, consent commands, denied defaults and basic sequencing risks visible from the public homepage.

Run the Consent Mode audit